Unlike in previous shipments, where I've listed everything on the home page
at once -- which is a bit overwhelming -- this time I've decided to instead
send out quick updates as individual models are unpacked.

Rather than list them in this introductory section, please see the
individual entries further on.

As this newsletter goes out to a mailing list of thousands of customers,
please understand if there's a delay in answering your email queries or
orders after one of these is sent. We will respond in order received and as
soon as possible!

All three colors and both sizes -- standard and demi -- are restocked.

"Got the pens a few days ago and giving the test run. I am really impress by
the way the Hero Demi 616, it writes better than a lot of my brand name
fountain pens, such as parker 75, montblanc lapis, or pelikan...I had a
Montblanc i think grand 146 and the nib if i remember was 18k med and the
pen sucks, it would skip or leave a deep ink spot, such that i got so (bleep)
off that i bend the point and threw the pen away and i think i paid $150 +
back then in the 1980's. I was hesitant to try a Chinese pen for fear of
inferior craftsman ship and poor performance , but i think my mind may have
been change by the parker 51 knock off. They really not only copy but seem
to improve on the brand name pens...So these Chinese pens will probably give
the brand name guys a real run for the money."
K. W., Nutley, NJ

"Norman: Want to let you know that I have received my order. Both pens
exceeded my expectation in appearance and performance. They are added to my
small collection. Anyone, who is looking for a fountain pen as a gift or
personal use, this is the site of maximum value in your purchase. Norm, you
do provided top of the line value that I trust. The Hero 616 is my journal
pen and the 329 my work pen. Thank you for your attention to detail. Best
wishes. I will buy again and recommend your site."
J. A., Richmond, VA

"Norman, I am loving my hero 616! I still cannot believe how well this pen
writes, and for $15 at that. In fact, I will be soon purchasing one from
you for my sister for her birthday. I know the reason this pen writes so
well is the excellent nib adjustment you gave it prior to shipping to me."
K. M., Enid, OK

You may notice the lovely purple/lavender color of the pen first from a
distance, but as you get closer -- or if it's sticking out of a pocket --
there's no escaping the gracefully swirling clip with the suspended heart at
its terminus. In fact, with the clip set so high on the cap, the heart and
almost-sinuous clip leave the impression that it's a pin attached to your
pocket.

"Hi Norman, I'm gonna rave about the Baoer 8 Horses that came today. It is
the smoothest nib I have ever used! That includes many $100-200 pens in my
collection. Nobody is going to believe that this is a $20 pen. The brass
construction gives it a solid feel, and it balances perfectly in my hand
even when posted. I have the bronze finish, and am running Pelikan
Brilliant Brown - makes for a nice combination!"
T. T., Ann Arbor, MI

"I received the inks and the surprise pen last Monday, which would have been
October 1st. I absolutely love the Baoer 8 Horses pen. It writes like a
dream and moves across the page so quickly I have to make sure I don't end
up scribbling words that don't exist! It's filled with the Private Reserve
Velvet Black and I love the ink. I knew I needed black, but I didn't know I
would enjoy it so much. Who knew such a 'boring' color could be so much fun
to use...I still can't believe how a pen could float across a page. I
almost feel guilty that I want to use it more than the other two I have. It
might be new pen addiction, but honestly, the pen is simply amazing."
K. B., Etna, CA

"The Baoer 8 Horse was a father's day gift for me and I found the Levenger
Cocoa ink to be a good match, and enhances the ancient motif. The Baoer is a
good size and weight, and has a smooth medium nib with just a bit of flex,
very nice."
A. Y., Camarillo, CA

As this is basically a slightly slimmer version of the Jinhao General model,
I had no choice but to name this series of pens the Colonel. The pen
measures 5-3/8" capped, 6-1/4" posted (longer than the General) and 4-5/8"
with cap held aside.

The five versions are quite distinctive in appearance, with the Silver
Checks and the new Black & Gold being the odd-men-out. The other three have
what I've described elsewhere on the website as a rain pattern finish, with
a resin or lacquer coating for smoothness.

These oversized beauties measure 5-2/4" capped, 6-1/4" posted and 5" with
cap held aside. They appear to have a light white enameling over a brass
base and are light enough for extended writing sessions. That expanse of
white background provides the perfect canvas for the slightly raised
artwork.

"Norman: This is to advise that my Lanbitou "Plum Blossom" has arrived
safely - nicely packed and obviously dispatched without delay. I have washed
out the pen, as you suggest, and have filled it with ink.
The pen is nice to hold and writes smoothly (thanks, I am sure, to your
attentions). I tend to vacillate between medium and fine nibs. I'm not sure
which I prefer. This pen solves my problem, in that the nib is
somewhere between the two. A nice pen and great value for the money."
P. B., Bulleen, Australia

The Sapphire overlay is a lot of pen for a modest price. It has a lot going
on in its design, yet the gold and black somehow still keeps it demure. The
first thing that you notice when looked at in profile is of course the
lovely metal tracery of the cap. Although it appears to be a conventional
overlay at first blush, upon closer examination it's as if the gold-plated
design is actually embedded within the black lacquer of the pen and
virtually flush with its surface. I'm choosing to call this an interlay
instead.

"Dear Norman: I've been an aficionado of fountain pens for many years now.
My father, who makes his living by the mighty pen, has always been in search
of the perfect (and elusive) fountain pen. Our search had taken us the way
of Sheaffer, Pelikan, Parker and Cross, to name a few. Sadly, none of them
quite fit the bill. Some were too heavy, others too light, still others too
scratchy -- the complaints abounded. When I received my Sapphire, the quest
ended. Not only is it a strikingly beautiful pen, but it writes as if by
itself! It has quickly become my favourite pen and has become the object of
envy by colleagues, friends and family alike. Thank you so much for
providing such a lovely product, made all the better by your careful
ministrations."
C. E., Toronto, Canada

"Hi Norman. Thanks for the gorgeous Duke Sapphire pen! I am delighted with
the beautiful design, heft, and smooth delivery -- all better than
envisioned! My wife was initially skeptical with all the warm testimonials
but when she took this pen and wrote with it -- she wrote "What an exquisite
pen; the nib is like glass!! I want one just like this!" I am happy to
oblige, but I think another look at your other pens might still be in order.
The Sapphire, though, is just beautiful! Thanks again for the pen, your
note (with sealing wax!), and your great service. You have a business that
must give you much joy because you give such pleasure to others."
T. J., Victoria, Canada

"Good afternoon Norman. I am sorry I have not written before now about the
Duke Sapphire I bought a few weeks back. Things have just been crazy here
at work. The Sapphire is a lovely pen. I have received several remarks
here at work on its appearance. The gold on black makes it stick out in any
room filled with engineers taking notes. But the beauty of this pen goes
beyond being just skin deep. One just has to uncap this black beauty and
apply it to the nearest writing material and it sails across the surface
like an ice cube across a hot surface. It doesn't matter if you are jotting
down quick notes or writing a slow note showing off your penmanship, this
pen does it all. The Sapphires silky smooth action has quickly secured its
place as my everyday pen and gets looks every time I slip it out of my
pocket and into my hand. The Sapphire is truly one of the best kept secrets
of the orient. Thanks for your web site and offerings.
J. S., Hazel Green, AL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the blog -- Rustle, Tingle, Relax: The Compelling World of A.S.M. R.

Now I understand. More than one person has commented on my voice in some of
my pen videos on YouTube. They've ranged from 'You sound like Clint
Eastwood' (really? :-)), to 'His voice puts me to sleep' (I always took that
as a negative, but maybe not!), to 'Your voice is perfect for A.S.M.R.'.

I looked up the definition of A.S.M.R. at the time, but it was only after
reading this article in the NY Times just now that I learned how big this
phenomenon is, and how many YouTube videos there are which address this.

Is the H616 standard you currently have on your site for $15 the one that's commonly referred to as the Doctor model? or is that a different size/model? Also are there other colors besides black/green/burgundy?

It sounds nice that you're aligning the nibs on the H616 before shipping, that seems to be one of the biggest problems with the famous 616s.

Is the H616 standard you currently have on your site for $15 the one that's commonly referred to as the Doctor model? or is that a different size/model? Also are there other colors besides black/green/burgundy?

It sounds nice that you're aligning the nibs on the H616 before shipping, that seems to be one of the biggest problems with the famous 616s.

Hi, and sorry for the delay in replying. For some reason I'm not being updated when there's a reply to the thread.

What I call the 'Standard' is apparently what others are calling the 'Jumbo' or 'Doctor' (although 'Doctor' is a Hero branding moniker). Hopefully this will make it clear:

CappedPostedCap held aside

Parker 51 Demi 5" 5-1/2" 4-5/8"

Hero 616 Demi 5-1/4" 5-1/4" 4-1/2"

Parker 51 Standard 5-3/8" 5-7/8" 5"

Hero 616 Standard 5-3/8" 5-5/8" 4-15/16"

Only those three colors (black/green/burgundy) are available.

As for nib adjustment prior to shipping, I've always done that for all pens that I sell for the last 17 years, as mentioned on the website.

IMPORTANT SERVICE NOTE: Every nib that ships from His Nibs is closely examined under high magnification and tuned or adjusted if needed. About 85% of modern nibs need some adjustment out-of-the-box from the manufacturer for an optimal writing experience. Most commonly, the tines of the nib are misaligned -- which would cause scratchiness at the minimum; the slit between the tines is partially or fully closed -- which would starve the nib of ink and at best cause skipping; or the slit between the tines is too wide -- which will either again cause skipping, or conversely, flooding. There are other factors -- such as separation of the nib from the feed -- that are inspected and repaired before any pen leaves the Palace.

Just a question: that percentage nibs needing attention: is that on the nibs of the particular brand in the current offer, or is that something you see on all brands. Are there big differences between brands? And if so, could you elaborate on that?

Just a question: that percentage nibs needing attention: is that on the nibs of the particular brand in the current offer, or is that something you see on all brands. Are there big differences between brands? And if so, could you elaborate on that?

D.ick

I've never kept statistics, but I'd estimate that about 85% of nibs need some adjustment out-of-the-box, even if quite minor. This impression spans all brands that I've dealt with (I collect many more brands than I sell on the website) over the past 20 years or so. The only generality I think I can make is that the higher priced the pen, the more likely it is that the nib will need adjustment! Of the brands that I carry, I'd actually say that Delta has the most frequent misaligned nibs out-of-the-box , while many Chinese pens are fine (no pun intended).

But some of it is policy. I remember when we had the Stipula FPN LE project, that all the nibs were set too tight. Apparently that was policy against former BP-users who were in a habit to press too hard on the nib.

But some of it is policy. I remember when we had the Stipula FPN LE project, that all the nibs were set too tight. Apparently that was policy against former BP-users who were in a habit to press too hard on the nib.

This is good-to-know data.

Thank you

D.ick

My pleasure. I was just using my Stipula FPN LE yesterday as it happens!